Possession
by Dejavu1978
Summary: In a world where a bride was chosen by parents, Roman's fiancé died before their wedding. The replacement he married died in a horrible accident and now, he's in love with his housemaid. Considered an animal by law, his feelings would be shunned, but when his parents insist he marry again, he tries to pass her off as a suitable bride before he is forced to marry their next choice.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: This story is fiction. All the characters are fictional with borrowed names to comply with the fan fiction genre. They should not be confused with any person living or dead. I am not now nor have I ever been affiliated with any professional wrestler or wrestling company. No disrespect intended.

* * *

My new rough draft. I hope you enjoy it. This will be an AU fiction. I'm playing around with something new. I'm not sure how it will turn out so let me know what you think. :)

* * *

Chapter 1

It was cold. She could no longer feel her fingers, her toes, her face, her entire body actually. She wanted to close her eyes so badly, but sleep was forbidden and the only good thing about being so cold was that she no longer felt the pain from the dozen or so lashes her owner had dished out earlier that day and she wasn't ready for a repeat.

Both Mya's hands were tied to a large wooden post and she stared vacantly ahead while others were looked over by shoppers. She was an Ivex. An animal. Actually, the Ivex were treated worse than animals. The humans loved their little dogs and lazy cats while the worked the Ivex until they collapsed.

"You are human. Never forget that." Her mother's words always reminded her, but it was hard to believe that she was just as good as her owners. She was the daughter of a prostitute and a thief. Convicted criminals sentenced for their crimes. In the new world, there was no tolerance and no chances to redeem one's life. Even the smallest infraction was heavily punished and the sentence was life. Serving, working, bred and sold like live stock. And she, the offspring of the criminals was destined to a life of slavery. She had lived and worked for one family since her birth, long after her mother had been sold. Now, she too was for sale.

"I told you," Roman's best friend Randy laughed as they browsed the rows of bare wooden tables at the flea market. "You came too late."

He was probably right. Roman needed help with his land since his wife died. Courtlin may have been an arranged replacement for his parent's first choice, but she had been handy in the fields and hand kept a clean house, but he felt guilty that he had never loved her.

"A pet would be good for you. Maybe it would get you out of this depression. People around town are starting to call you a hermit." He was in mourning and most thought it was for Courtlin, but actually he mourned another girl, his best friend. The girl his parents originally chose for his bride. He had been happy with his bride to be, which was rare because of a law meant to preserve morality. Perhaps her death had been his punishment.

"I don't want a pet. I need a work hand." But pickings on decent Ivex were slim. Most people were already loading up their wares. Handmade crafts and unused items they no longer wanted had been picked over by the days customers and they were all ready to head home.

"There's a couple." Randy pointed to the end of the row to a few male Ivex who were being led by their leashes unto the back of pickup truck.

"Their sickly looking." They all coughed and they had snot running from their noses into their beards and they looked underfed.

"Well, that's all you have to choose from." Randy laughed again. "Maybe you could nurse one back to health."

"I'm not wasting money on an animal that will probably die before I get it home." Roman growled, but a small heap caught his eye. Tied to a thick log he saw a tiny pair of hands. He tilted his head and walked closer. The animal's face was covered by her wild, tangled locks and she was hugging her knees as best she could. The Ivex wore very little mostly, but this one was completely naked and she was freezing sitting in the three foot of snow.

"It's a shame how people treat their animals." Randy sighed. "That one won't make nightfall."

She did look awful.

"Take it if you want it." A woman shouted as she loaded boxes into her truck. "Might as well. I'm not taking it home with me."

Roman tilted her chin up. He felt so sorry for it. He swept its long hair away and inspected its back. Several lash marks, some fresh, some healing were present from her neck all the way down and far as he could see. The tell-tale marks of a disobedient beast. Ah, hell. He thought. It was free, so he took a knife out of his pocket, sliced through the ropes with one swipe and picked the poor animal up in his arms.

He and Randy walked back to the dirt parking lot to Randy's truck and it felt cruel to put her in the back so he sat her in the center of the seat in the front.

"It stinks." Randy complained.

"It'll die for sure if I put in the bed." Roman told him. "If I can get it healthy again I can at least sell it if I can't use her."

"True." He took the paper the woman had handed him out of his pocket and read it. "Damn, it's a lifer."

"Are you kidding?" Lifers were considered more valuable because they were usually taken away from their parents and trained before they could pick up thieving ways, but this one was so small there was no way she could be good for more than household chores. She was probably the product of fertility drugs used to make the Ivex produce more than one fetus. A common practice on farms that made their money solely by raising Ivex. A runt, probably struggled to survive all her life. He had seen them before. The smallest of four or five. Sold cheap for house labor. Or perhaps she was the offspring of a petite mother. It's not like the animal could tell him.

Roman took the animal home and ran a hot tub of water. It needed a bath terribly. He wondered if she had ever had one. Her eyes opened after a few minutes of sitting in the water and then she started to sneeze. Some people would have been scared they would catch some disease, but he wasn't concerned. He gently wiped away all the dirt from her face, then she surprised him by sitting straight up, hugging herself and staring blankly at him. He laughed and offered her the sponge. She took it from him and he left her alone to do the task herself.

He heard her emerge and she stepped out shaking with a towel wrapped around herself. Modesty was something rarely exhibited by an Ivex. He didn't know if her trembling was from the hours she had been in the cold, or from fear. Maybe it was a combination of both.

She had definitely been someone's pet once. There was no doubt about that. He stepped forward and swept the hair out of her face and his heart beat erratically. She was beautiful. Damn, the world was cruel to him and love was an ugly word.

* * *

Please Review.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: This story is fiction. All the characters are fictional with borrowed names to comply with the fan fiction genre. They should not be confused with any person living or dead. I am not now nor have I ever been affiliated with any professional wrestler or wrestling company. No disrespect intended.

* * *

My new rough draft. I hope you enjoy it. This will be an AU fiction. I'm playing around with something new. I'm not sure how it will turn out so let me know what you think. :)

* * *

Chapter 2

Mya was terrified. She was in a new place with a new master and she didn't even remember being sold. She remembered collapsing. She faintly remembered being lashed, then she woke up immersed in water. She still felt weak, but at least she was warmer. Still, she wished she could stand in front of the fire her new master had built. Instead, she stood like a statue in the corner, waiting for his command.

He was much younger than her last master. She had been a house slave until he married and then she had been thrown out into fields. The mistress hated her and she never understood why and she didn't understand why she was suddenly lashed so frequently. The master had treated her kind for years and then he too seemed to despise her.

Roman seemed kind. He had kind eyes and he smiled her way a few times, but he didn't speak to her. She couldn't ask him anything. Unlike most Ivex born in her situation, she could talk. She could read too, but she knew better than to let the humans know.

She felt comfortable in the dress he had given her. It was plain and black, but the nicest, softest garment she had ever owned. She watched him cautiously as he went to the stove and cooked. He sat down at the table alone and ate. She stared at her feet. She tried not to stare because that would be considered begging, but her belly was empty and it growled. Smelling his food didn't help.

"Come on." He called her softly and tapped the chair beside him. She was scared. It could be a trap. Some owners liked to play games. Trick them, call and invite them as if they were giving a treat to them and then turn and beat them for doing it. "It's okay." Slowly she did as she was asked. "Sit down." She did and then closed her eyes waiting for his hand to strike her face. Instead, he placed a bowl of soup in front of her and half of his own sandwich. "Eat." She watched him. She had never eaten with a human before. Her mother used to complain about not having a utensil to eat with and she mimicked Roman by picking up a spoon and eating the soup just as he did, but she didn't dare dip her sandwich into the bowl like him. He smiled. He seemed pleased with her actions.

Roman liked the Ivex. She was nothing like the ones his parents owned. They had never made one a pet and this one had already become a pet in his home. The next day he would take her out and see how much she could do. He eyed her up and down. She was almost dainty. She had gorgeous blue eyes and she had auburn hair. In Courtlin's dress, she could easily pass for a human.

"So, what to call you." He tapped his chin and scanned her over. "Do you have a name?" but how could she tell him that? She couldn't speak. He took her hand and turned it over wondering. "Mya." Some Ivex mothers tattooed their children's names on their wrists. She was a first generation lifer. Her mother had been born human. He didn't think the way most did. He thought it was horrible that innocent children were made to be slaves. Even more so since he had found Mya.

He felt an urge. There were no laws dictating what he could and could not do with her and he had needs. It wasn't unusual for men to relieve themselves with an Ivex. His father had done it. His brothers. His friends. But he hadn't had that desire before. Courtlin had been gone for some time and she had fulfilled the need all men had. They had to relieve themselves from time to time or they would become irritated and stressed. He was that, but it didn't feel right. She did not seem like an animal to him.

Mya was so tired. The abuse she had endured still made her feel weak and she wondered if she would ever be the same again. She sat down in a corner and watched Roman sleeping. His home was very small. One room contained his kitchen, dining room and bedroom. It had an attached bathroom, but nothing else. She found a spot that she knew she would consider her corner, but she knew she could not allow herself to slip off to sleep even though her master was dozing.

He was much larger than her last master and she knew his lashes would be delivered with much more strength. If he should wake and find her eyes closed, his abuse might kill her.

Roman watched her the next morning. She stood up in the corner the moment he sat up on the side of his bed. She had dark circles under her eyes and he could tell she had not moved all night. She went to the fridge like she had been well trained to, but she seemed confused or nervous. She touched the basket of eggs then stared.

"That's fine Mya." He told her and she took them out. "Three, scrambled with toast and make yourself breakfast too sweetie." She seemed to relax. He hoped she would. He had no plans to treat her badly. After breakfast he made her sit on the floor in front of his favorite chair and he brushed her hair and tied it back with a ribbon. He thought it would help them bond. He wanted her to see him as a protector. There were a lot of people who would hurt her and he wanted her to know she could run to him.

"Well, let's go feed the animals." He stated with a smile and she followed him outside. He expected her to bolt and cursed himself for not fashioning some kind of leash. He watched her carefully, but she didn't seem to want to go or maybe she didn't know where to go. She did look at her surroundings. Was she forming a plan?

He talked to her as he showed her how to feed the pigs and milk the cows. He handed her a basket of seed and she threw it out to the chickens. Then, she followed him to the field where they tended the crops together. He talked to her all day and although she couldn't answer him, he felt like he wasn't completely alone.

At lunch time, they headed back to his house and she put together sandwiches. She seemed tired, but she didn't refuse any order. That night when he laid down, he couldn't stay asleep and each time he woke up he saw her sitting in the corner and she was always awake. Then, it hit him. A lot of owners didn't allow them to sleep. They were worked day and night and whipped when they collapsed.

She stood up the moment he got out of bed. He picked up a pillow and the blanket that laid across the bottom of his bed. He walked over to her and touched her cheek. "When I sleep, you sleep." He smiled and laid the pillow down and urged her to lay down, then he covered her with the blanket before he went back to bed himself. He stared at her. Damn, she was pretty.

* * *

Please Review.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: This story is fiction. All the characters are fictional with borrowed names to comply with the fan fiction genre. They should not be confused with any person living or dead. I am not now nor have I ever been affiliated with any professional wrestler or wrestling company. No disrespect intended.

* * *

My new rough draft. I hope you enjoy it. This will be an AU fiction. I'm playing around with something new. I'm not sure how it will turn out so let me know what you think. :)

* * *

Chapter 3

Mya grew to love Roman. It was so easy to. He never raised a hand. He always smiled at her. He gave her things like clothes and fancy soaps. It was really easy to make believe. She believed she was living as close to a human life as she possible could hope for. Her favorite times were in the summer when he would impulsively take the day off and run off to the pond. He didn't leave her behind to keep working. He took her with him and they would take off their clothes and swim.

He would splash her and play with her in the water and she would smile and giggle, then they would lay upon the shore and dry in the sun. She wondered if it was anything like the dating her mother had told about. Of course not. She reminded herself.

"What are you thinking?" Roman laughed, rolled to his side and wrapped one of his large arms around her waist. He propped his head up on his elbow and stared down at her. She loved him. She never thought she would feel for a human the way she did for him. She knew she would never leave him. So many times, with her old owner, she had planned to run away, but not from Roman, but things always changed. If he ever had to sell her, she would find her way back. She c

"Sometimes, I wish I knew what was going on in your mind." He said that a lot. She wanted to tell him, but the punishment for speaking was brutal. He would have no choice but to cut her tongue out. It was the law, or at least she thought it was. So, instead, she sat up and pecked his cheek, then ran off.

Roman laughed and gathered their clothes. He put his on and carried hers with over his arm. He knew she would be home when he returned. He often thought about the day he had found her and all those lashes she bore on her body. He couldn't figure out why she had been whipped so brutally. She was so loyal and she worked hard. He never had a problem with her. The more she learned about him, the less he had to ask for. She seemed to anticipate his every need. She took care of him more than his wife had. His relationship with Courtlin had been a partnership. It was cold, really nothing more than a business arrangement. He shared his home and land with her and they worked it together to survive. He couldn't even say that he had considered the woman an acquaintance. A coworker maybe.

Mya was in standing in front of the stove when he returned cooking supper. She was an amazing cook. Someone had taught her well, or maybe she was just naturally gifted. A few times he was sure the cookbook Courtlin had used wasn't exactly where it he remembered it being. That day, he arrived sooner than she expected and caught her with it in her hands. She must have been looking at the pictures. Of course, she couldn't read. Even if her mother had been able to teach her daughter, how could she have managed to show her more than a few small words?

Mya jumped. She had no idea Roman had walked in. She didn't know how long he had bene there but she suddenly became very afraid of him. She was busted and there was nothing she could do but stare into his wide steel eyes. He didn't speak and she took a step back for every step he took towards her. She braced herself for his blow, knowing it would hurt more both inside and out. He picked up the book, glanced at it, then looked at what she had been making before tossing it back down. There was no way he would believe she hadn't been reading not with all the measured ingredients sitting on the counter.

"Hmmm." He turned the page, then back again and she backed herself up in the corner. "Come here." She hesitated, but did as she was told. Running away would not save her. His hand slipped behind her neck and he pulled her very close. She began to hyperventilate, but he didn't strike her. He placed one of the measuring cups in her hand and slid the book close, then turned and walked away. He sat at the table and opened the evening paper. He appeared disappointed to her and she wondered if he was thinking about what he should do about it. Would he get rid of her?

She finished the meal, using the recipe. There was no point hiding her ability now. She placed the pan into the oven and cleaned up very slowly. She dreaded the moment when she was finished. Usually, she would sit and relax in front of the fire and watch the flames when she was idol, but suddenly she was scared to stop.

Roman hid a smile. What he had learned about Mya tickled him. Oh, he knew the rules and he knew what he was expected to do, but who was it hurting? He benefited from what she knew and he thought people were idiots to punish the Ivex for learning. But he knew why they did. They didn't want them to believe they were just like their owners. They had to be reminded that they weren't. He never told anyone, but he wished Mya wasn't born Ivex every time he gazed at her. At the same time he was selfish and glad that Mya was an Ivex because if she wasn't her hand would most likely belong to another man. There was talk about the laws changing. Owners would have the choice rather or not to free the children born to their Ivex and as much as he hated himself for it, he knew he would never free Mya if the law was accepted. He wanted her with him – always.

She made his dinner and sat it on the table then she scurried off to her corner, sat and hugged her knees. She tucked her head down and her hair covered her face. She knew she was in trouble and she waited. She didn't have to wait long before he approached her. He squatted and lifted her chin. That seemed to be his favorite way to get her attention. He gently stroked her cheek.

"I'm not mad." He softly stated. "This is our little secret, okay?"

* * *

Please Review.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: This story is fiction. All the characters are fictional with borrowed names to comply with the fan fiction genre. They should not be confused with any person living or dead. I am not now nor have I ever been affiliated with any professional wrestler or wrestling company. No disrespect intended.

* * *

My new rough draft. I hope you enjoy it. This will be an AU fiction. I'm playing around with something new. I'm not sure how it will turn out so let me know what you think. :)

* * *

Chapter 4

"Come Mya." Roman never took her to town with him, but that day he ordered her to walk by his side. He climbed into the truck and she rode in the front with him. She had didn't remember a time when she had ever ridden in the front of a truck. Usually she was in the back tied to other Ivex and they would be tossed from one side to the other and she always feared that one would fall out taking the rest and her along too.

She smiled. Roman drove wildly down the dirt roads. He flew over bumps and sped around curves. He left clouds of dust behind them and she held on tight. She wanted to scream but somehow contained it.

Roman felt so alive when he was driving and he couldn't explain the feeling he felt seeing Mya smile. She was having fun and that made it more fun for him. Half way to the flea market he reached for her and easily pulled her across the seat so that she was sitting in the middle right beside him. He placed his arm around her shoulders and for a moment he was taking a ride with his best girl.

"Oh shit!" he went too fast around a sharp bend and he had to grab the wheel suddenly with both hands when his back end began to slide out of control.

"Master!" Mya screamed! He had finally got it under control, but a large tree was in his path and he had to slam on the brakes. Mya's body was flung forward and instinctively he jutted out his arm, stopping her from flying off the seat. He had to catch his breath when he stopped. Mya had been scared and had broken her silence to save – him. She wouldn't have broken her silence for her own life. The girl had been caught in a barb wire fence once and never hollered out for his help.

She was visually shaken. He turned off the engine and pulled her into his arms. He stroked her hair and promised it was okay. "I'm sorry." He apologized over and over. He had never lost control before, but his mind had been clouded with thoughts he should not be having.

He caught site of a group of people walking past. They stared at him. He let go of Mya and started the engine. The disapproving stares had been warning enough.

Mya had never seen the flea market from a shopper's point of view before. Roman clipped a leash to the studded collar she wore with an apologetic eyes as soon as they got out of the truck. She knew it was the law but she could also tell that he hated it. It was all for show anyway because she would never leave his side.

She saw others like herself being tugged by their owners. She winced when she saw one lashed for pulling away. They carried heavy things and some of them would sit on the hard ground and refuse to budge causing their owners to strike them. They were basically brought along as mules. She saw them stained with dirt. Dirt rings littered their bodies from spots that had gotten wet then dried. Their hair was matted and tangled and she suddenly felt self-conscience. Did she look that way too?

She stared into a long dressing mirror at a nearby stand while Roman looked at some farming tools. She didn't look like them. Her hair was shiny and fell in soft waves all the way to the middle of her back. She had a slight tint to her skin and her cheeks were rosy. She didn't have the dark circles under her eyes and her dress was simple. Nothing like the human women wore, but she thought it pretty. It was a dark blue with little white daisies all over it. Then she felt even more self-conscious because it was obvious that she was someone's pet. That was when she started seeing the ugly glares from other Ivex nearby. One even tore away from her master to snatch at her hair.

"Hey!" Roman was right there. He glared at the animal's owner. "Keep that thing under control." Then he stroked Mya's hair. Mya couldn't stop comparing herself to that Ivex. The female being was large. She was very tall and had thick biceps. She had broad shoulders and she smelled like Roman's barn.

"I'm so sorry. I just bought this one." The woman said to Roman sweetly. "Ah. She's so tiny. How cute." She complimented Mya. "Where on Earth did you find her?"

"She was given to me." Roman replied.

"Oh, a gift from someone special, I presume. Your wife?"

"My wife died about year and a half ago."

"I'm so sorry. I guess we all need companionship. You know, my daughter …"

"I really have to go ma'am." He said respectfully and gave Mya a slight tug. He stayed close to her after that and she remained right beside him. When he stopped for lunch, he bought one for her as well. She helped carry everything he bought, but he wouldn't give her anything too heavy. She walked around with her arms full, gawking at everything. At one table she couldn't take her eyes off of a pretty set of hair combs. They were made of a shiny metal. Perfect roses lined the tops and were painted pink. She wanted to run her fingers over them, but she knew the seller would not like that. Roman might have to smack her hands since they were in public, so she just stared at them.

"I'll take these too." Roman must have seen her staring for he picked up the combs and purchased them, then he turned and placed them in her hair. The woman behind the table looked on with disdain as did many other humans who passed. "Beautiful."

"Spoiled pet." The table attendant next to them spat.

"Ah, don't let the fact that she's pretty fool ya." Roman smiled. "She works the fields, cleans, cooks. She's a hard worker this one. Never seen one better."

"If that's true, I'll give you a thousand for her right now." A man wearing gold on every finger walked up to them opening his wallet. She had never seen one human with so much of that valuable paper and from the expression on Roman's face neither had he. She began to tremble. That stuff was powerful. She had seen her last boss sell his best field hand for half as much and that Ivex had been his own blood child who he had bought after he was convicted for stealing.

"My daughter's birthday is coming up. Your Ivex would be the perfect gift."

"With all due respect, sir. You'll have to keep looking. I couldn't sell her."

"Two thousand."

"No." Roman took her hand even though he held the leash in his hand and he started away. She didn't know why, but she had to glance behind her as they walked away. The man who had wanted to buy her looked angry. His face was so red she thought it might explode.

* * *

Please Review.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: This story is fiction. All the characters are fictional with borrowed names to comply with the fan fiction genre. They should not be confused with any person living or dead. I am not now nor have I ever been affiliated with any professional wrestler or wrestling company. No disrespect intended.

* * *

Thank so much for the reviews and follows! :)

* * *

Chapter 5

"You're mighty nice to that pet of yours." It wasn't the first time that had been said to Roman, but he shrugged off the snide comments.

"Maybe if you were nicer to your own you would get more work out of them." He would bark back. He liked taking Mya everywhere with him. He did it for the company and because he was scared someone might steal her away if he left her alone. He couldn't count how many times people had offered him money for her. Especially, Rick, the older man who had first approached him. Soon, people told him he should breed her and sell off her children. Ivex as pets had been unconventional before. Some liked the idea but most loathed him and what he had turned Mya into.

"Leave him alone, Rick. The poor lad is just lonely. It can't be easy to bury a spouse at his age. You must have really loved her." An old woman chastised her husband one cold winter. He had bought Mya a thick fur coat.

"I think it's disgusting. Dressing an Ivex up to look like a human."

"Most animals are born with fur." Roman shrugged. "It's cold. Why can't I put fur on her?"

"Because it's not right."

"What's not right, sir, is the imprisonment of a child from the moment of its birth for sins committed by the mother." Roman stared him down. "But then how would you make your living." He nodded toward the very young Ivex children chained together behind the old man's table. "Tell me? What crime have they committed?"

"Get the hell out of here."

Roman had a hard time biting his tongue. He had so many beliefs of his own and most them had to do with Mya. He couldn't dismiss her as an animal. His heart could not see her that way and as time went by, he had trouble categorizing the Ivex as they were labeled by society. It was an ignorant law that planted that seed.

His mind often thought about books reprinted from the days before the rain of fire. People had been sentenced to jails. They were caged just like animals, but they never imprisoned children. Pregnant women in those stories gave birth and their babies were sent to live with relatives or placed in an orphanage if no one would take them in. He often wished times were still that way. And then he would come back to another thought. If that was still the way, he more than likely wouldn't have Mya at all.

Mya swept and swayed along to the music that almost always played on the small radio in the house. Roman was still tending the fields, then he would feed the animals before he retired for the night. He had sent her ahead early that day. The laundry needed to be washed and the floors needed cleaning. She had already begun supper and had retrieved a gallon of sun tea Roman had placed outside that morning before they left.

She began to sing along without realizing she was doing it. She felt so comfortable and relaxed. She was happy, happier than she had ever been in her entire life. She didn't fear being lashed, sometimes just because her owner or one of his foreman was in a bad mood and she just happened to be in his line of vision. She didn't have to worry about a mistress of the house who would despise her for some unknown reason. She didn't have to worry if she would eat. She didn't itch and her skin wasn't covered in ugly red bumps. She was just content.

She still hated the collar she had to wear. It rubbed her neck sometimes and made her feel like she was being choked, but that was something she had to wear by law. Without it, she would be taken away and sold to the highest bidder at an auction.

Roman's fields were in great shape and his grape vines had taken very well and soon. He would need more help before the harvest. Mya had been a great help as were the young boys he had hired. He remembered what it was like to be their age. It was their turn to save for land and a home for their future bride. He just hoped fate was kinder to them.

He strolled toward his home, watching the birds flit from one branch to another. There was a lot of snow on the ground and he was shocked that so many still hung around. He guessed it was warmer than some other places, or maybe they were just too little to make the trip.

The door was wide open when he drew closer and as he approached he caught the sound of Mya singing. He had never heard her do that before. She had a beautiful soft voice and she could hit high notes perfectly. She didn't know he was around. If she did she would immediately hush her song. He had only heard her speak one word. She was obedient to her situation and did what was expected, but he wished she would rebel against it at least a little bit.

He didn't go right in. He didn't want her to stop. He leaned against the door frame and just watched her. He had never seen such a beautiful creature. He had never heard such a voice. He imagined she may have been someone very special if she had born in a different time or to a different mother. She might have been a famous singer, going around sharing her gift with many. Music was the one thing left behind from prefirestorm days that the law did not ban. Songs written and recorded decades before by people who had been long gone graced his ears daily and there were people who went around performing those same old songs in their own voices, but this was the first time he had ever been in the same room with a live voice. She never saw him there and soon he could no longer suppress the urge inside of him. He was attracted. He couldn't deny it. He tried to but at that moment he told himself he wasn't doing anything wrong. He wouldn't be the first man … He closed the door softly, approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist. She jumped. Again he had caught her doing something forbidden.

"Things are going to be a little different now." He whispered in her ear. Mya froze. He had been affectionate before, but this felt very strange. His lips touched her neck. His hands ran up and down her arms gently sending a chill through her entire body before they grasped the zipper on the back of her dress and pulled it down to just above her bottom. Softly, he caressed her shoulders as he slipped the garment off and down her arms, then let it fall to the floor. His fingertips traced her breasts, then he cupped and fondled them while his kisses became more heated on her neck. He twirled her into his strong arms, embraced her, pressing his body against hers. He had hugged her before, but he had never pressed himself so tightly against her and she felt something hard beneath the fabric that covered him.

She wasn't sure what was going on. Her mother had spoke about male humans and the things they might do. She told her that a one day they might take her just because they could. She hadn't thought about that part of her mother's teachings until that moment. Roman's hands touched every part of her bare skin and his lips wandered wherever he wanted them to. It felt wonderful and scary at the same time. Was he finally punishing her for behaving human?

"Your body is so beautiful." He whispered.

Roman was lost the moment he touched his lips to hers. She caught on quick and when she returned his intimate passion, he lost control. He could no longer think about wrong and right. All he cared about was the fact that they were both species of the opposite sex and she had everything he needed at the moment. It had been so long for him and he could no longer pacify himself with fantasies and cold showers. He needed to be pleased. He needed to be inside her. He lifted her easily and took her to his bed. He stood over her his eyes fixed while he removed his clothes. Then he covered her body with his own. He let himself lose control and then he allowed himself unite with her. His satisfaction came quickly, but he it wasn't over. Now that he had tasted her he knew he would have to have her again.

* * *

Please Review.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: This story is fiction. All the characters are fictional with borrowed names to comply with the fan fiction genre. They should not be confused with any person living or dead. I am not now nor have I ever been affiliated with any professional wrestler or wrestling company. No disrespect intended.

* * *

Thank so much for the reviews and follows! :)

* * *

Chapter 6

If what Roman was doing was supposed to be punishment he was very bad at it. Lying in that bed with him had brought her pleasure and he seemed to enjoy himself immensely, so much so that he mounted her again the next morning and the next night. In fact, he touched her that way frequently. Sometimes in the middle of the day in the fields and she could soon predict when he was going to undress her and have his way.

She wasn't stupid. She knew exactly what was going on and what he was doing to her, but she had been lead to believe that it was a dirty, horrible thing and that it was wrong. She couldn't think that Roman was doing something he shouldn't to her.

Roman watched the rain snow fall heavily outside. It was coming down so fast that he couldn't see through it. They wouldn't be able to attend the fields that day. He breathed a sigh of relief thankful that he had saved and built the long rows of green houses. It allowed his produce to bloom year round and he had already earned back the money it had cost him to build the structures at the flea markets. No one else could offer the vegetables he did in the winter and he considered himself wise for the idea he had gotten from books. All he'd had was a few drawings and pictures to guide his design, but he pulled it off. He was proud of his accomplishments and so were his parents, but they planned to use his success in two years when they would again be allowed to find him a suitable wife. He didn't want another marriage. He didn't want to be bound to another woman he did not love.

He had braved the storm early that morning to tend to the animals, but it hadn't been as bad then. Now they were stuck until it again slowed. It would be a long walk the next day to the fields. The piles of snow would weigh down each step. But for the time being, there was nothing to do, but rest.

He had a few new books he had yet to read, so he sat down by the fire and kicked up his feet. Mya sat on the floor beside him staring at the fire. Every now and then he would catch a glimpse of her looking at his book. He knew what she wished so he took one from the stack beside him and handed it to her. She tilted her head with confusion.

"It's okay." He assured her, but he could tell she was unsure, but eventually her curiosity became stronger than her fear and she opened the cover. He ended up watching her as she became involved in eh love story he had given her. She stretched out on her belly on the rug and she smiled from time to time. When he climbed into bed that night, she was still reading and he didn't bother her. The next day she read while she cooked his breakfast making him smile and shake his head. So far, nothing she did upset him. He liked her innocence. Her simple desires. The way she would stop and stare at the sunset or squirrels running and chasing each other. She never asked for anything but would light up with the smallest of gifts. She was perfect.

He started to hate himself for the things he had done with her. She didn't have any choices at all and he was harsh on himself for taking advantage. She was so wonderful and her being an Ivex was so wasteful when there were so few women in the world as sweet.

However, he couldn't stop wanting her. He couldn't stop craving her and after two weeks of abstaining he woke her in the night. He kissed her like he himself was a hungry animal. He took his time, thrusting slowly, grinding his hips against hers. He had to hold his head board to steady himself.

Roman's heavy breathing was a welcomed sound and it was hard not to let a moan of her own escape. That only seemed to intensify his love making. She stared up at him with doe eyes. She reached out and dared trace the lines from the middle of his chest to his abdomen. She thought his body was beautiful and she liked to run her fingers over the design etched into his arm when he held her in his sleep.

He stopped. She didn't think he had successfully pleased himself because she didn't feel his shudder. His attention was on the window behind near the bed.

"Stay here." He sounded protective as he inched investigated the sound he had heard, but reached for his pants but did not have time to put them on before the door was swung open. She was instantly terrified as a group of men barged into her master's home.

"What are you doing in my home, Flair?" Roman growled, but he knew he might be in some trouble. The men with the old man were officers of the town high court.

"We've been hearing a lot of rumors." One of them said. "I have a feeling they were all truth."

"What I do in my own home with my own property is no one's business."

"Not when it's illegal."

"I told you it was criminal the way he treats that filthy animal."

"Let us handle it, Rick." Roman knew the old man was only there so he could find a way to claim Mya. He couldn't buy her so he had to find a dirty, underhanded way to acquire her.

"It's only natural." The officer continued. "For a man to be drawn in. The Ivex can be tricky creatures. They are like sirens in a sense, only they are not myths. They have to be punished."

The other two officers jerked Mya from his bed and forced her to her knees and dragged. They held her arms, facing her back to him and the first officer whose name was Ziggler held a whip out to him. Roman closed his eyes.

Randy ran into the home. Roman could tell by the look on his face that he had hoped to warn him, but found he was too late.

"Punish her." Ziggler repeated.

"Roman, come on. What are you going to do? Let them sentence you? Turn you into an Ivex?" Randy whispered to him. He laid a hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault." He said louder. "You were only going through a hard time. Don't throw away your life."

Roman closed his eyes. He had no choice. He could handle becoming an Ivex. He could handle the punishment. But they would take her away. He would never see her again. Flair would find a way to possess her and he would hurt her. He already knew what her life would be like. He took the whip and with tears in his eyes he struck.

"Again!" Ziggler screamed and again he had to bring pain to what he loved the most in the world. "Again!" He was forced to strike her until she went limp. She was released and fell to the floor in a heap, but Ziggler wasn't satisfied. Four more lashes destroyed her beautiful body before he couldn't do it again. He fell to his knees and hung his head. A tear escaped. Ziggler touched his shoulder.

"You have to keep them in their place." He said in an almost sympathetic voice.

"Be careful, Roman." Flair sneered. "Next time, I will own her." He squeezed Roman's shoulder. "You would make a valuable field hand." He chuckled. A sickening laugh that made his stomach churn then he walked out of his home.

Roman's tears fell freely. He screamed out and threw the whip with all his strength across the room then he fell beside her. He cried as he touched the damage he had caused. He touched her face. She was unconscious. He couldn't see her breathing. He had killed her.

* * *

Please Review.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: This story is fiction. All the characters are fictional with borrowed names to comply with the fan fiction genre. They should not be confused with any person living or dead. I am not now nor have I ever been affiliated with any professional wrestler or wrestling company. No disrespect intended.

* * *

Thank so much for the reviews and follows! :)

* * *

Chapter 7

Roman turned her over. She wasn't breathing. She laid there pale. He pressed his lips to hers and he blew, then he pumped her chest. He wasn't sure if he was doing it right but he mimicked the old first aid book he had read when he was younger. Tears poured from his eyes. Finally, she gasped. Air filled her lungs again and her eyes popped open.

"I'm so sorry." He cried, cupping her face in his hands, but he wriggled free. Her eyes were wide and she stared at him. She was scared of him. She scrambled away and hugged her knees in the corner.

"Let her be." Randy stopped him from going to her side. "She'll understand."

"No, Randy. She won't understand. She trusted me and in one moment I destroyed years. She hates me now and I can't stand to see that in her eyes." He took a deep breath and collapsed in a chair behind the kitchen table. Randy made a cup of coffee and poured them both a cup. Roman's mind was full of thoughts.

"They're going to keep watching me." Roman sighed. "I'll be forced to hit her again. I know it. I can't do that. I won't do that."

Mya sobbed softly in the corner. He couldn't take her tears. He couldn't stand to see the blood dripping from her body. He pulled a clean cloth out of a drawer, wet it and went to her. She jumped when he touched her. His touch actually frightened her. Her eyes met his and he jumped back. They flickered and the blue glowed and they were outlined with a bright green outline. She let out a high pitched scream. Her mouth so wide open she no longer resembled a human, but the animal she was classified as. He had forgotten. The one thing that separated them. The alterations that the convicted endured. Medical science had advanced so much on the island that had been closed off from the world before the storm and had sustained no devastating damage during. The convicted were given a serum. A tiny amount of animal DNA and snake venom that affected each one in different ways. It had been passed down to her by her mother and father. She was extremely docile compared to other Ivex, but now that had scorned her, he found that she had retractable fangs.

He had ruined everything. Mya ran from. For the first time she was disorderly, wild, untamed. She sunk inside herself. Those eyes bore hatefully at him. It broke his heart.

"I can't stand it." He knew he could never stop himself for feeling for her the way he did no matter how badly her temperament had changed.

"Take her away, Randy." He looked his friend in the eyes and begged.

"Roman, she'll calm down." Randy tried to reason. "I couldn't take Mya. You would be lost without her."

"Take her." He repeated in a low whisper.

Randy could not change his mind. He watched his friend approach her. He heard that growling wild scream and the way she balled herself up in the corner. He hated the way her eyes appeared. She had never looked like an animal before and now he couldn't see the sweet little thing that meant the world to him. Blood dripped from her back. It seemed to be pouring and he feared it would become infected if she didn't allow anyone to tend to it. Some places had cut so deep that he knew they needed to be sewn shut.

"It's okay, Mya." Randy talked sweetly and held out his hand. He was careful not to move too close. His friend wanted her to come to him and Roman knew the moment she did his heart would shatter. "Sweetie, let me help you."

She screeched again. It hurt both of their ears. They had to cover them. Mya didn't know what to do. Her mind was clouded. She was in pain and she didn't know what was wrong with her. She had never felt that strange before or that angry and betrayed. She knew she had grown extra teeth and she felt an urge to bite that she had trouble controlling. She had a craving and her taste buds told her she wanted to taste blood. She dug her fingers like they were claws, carving deep stripes into the wooden floor.

"Mya, calm down sweetie." Randy purred. She screeched again, but she felt the fight in her dying. She felt weaker and eventually her body gave up.

"She passed out." Randy informed Roman. He sighed and went to her side. He couldn't remember another time in his life when he had cried openly but staring at what he had done was more than he could take. He was scared to dab at it with the warm wet cloth. He winced as he used his first aid kit to stitch the deep wounds. He could not contain his grief.

"Roman, what the hell are you doing?"

When he had finished, he grasped a knife in his hand and ripped the blade across his own arm. He wanted to feel the same pain. He wanted to punish himself.

"She's just an animal! You did what you had to do."

"She's not just an animal! She doesn't deserve this life! She didn't deserve this!" He slashed his arm again. "I wish I had let them arrest me."

"Do you know what Flair wants her for?" Randy asked him as he bandaged his friend's arm.

"He wants to give her to his daughter."

"No. Flairs got this big mammoth Ivex. The thing stands almost seven foot tall. He's had him for years. Calls him Diesel and I swear he's as big as a diesel truck. He's puts him fights and he wins. He thinks Mya would be a great reward for him."

"He would kill her."

"It's real mean. Flair shoots him up with some kind steroid or something."

"That's why I'm giving her to you. She'll blend in with your others soon enough and I'll just tell everyone she died tonight."

"I only have four, Roman and I really doubt she can blend in with them. I mean mine are clean compared to others. I take care of them, but Mya. She's special. There are very few Ivex as smart as she is. People make sure of that."

"I don't know what else to do."

"Just give her space. She adores you. She'll be fine."

"Maybe I should have just let her die."

* * *

Please Review.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: This story is fiction. All the characters are fictional with borrowed names to comply with the fan fiction genre. They should not be confused with any person living or dead. I am not now nor have I ever been affiliated with any professional wrestler or wrestling company. No disrespect intended.

* * *

Thank so much for the reviews and follows! :)

* * *

Chapter 8

Roman didn't try to approach her. He left her alone. That was probably because each time he so much as grazed her with his hand or body, she would scream and she felt something inside of her snap. She didn't trust him anymore. She still did her chores. She knew her position. She knew what she was there for, but she no longer groomed herself the way she had before. She still took bathes but she no longer brushed her hair. What did it matter? She did it to please him.

She got up and fixed his breakfast, but her heart wasn't it in the meals anymore. The cookbook she had been using started to collect dust after a while. She did his laundry, cleaned his house and worked the crops. Roman stopped taking her with him for his mid-day romps and she didn't want to go anyway. She felt like she had been toyed with. Her master had been so nice for so long and then just because other males of his species were present he beat her. She guessed he had to prove himself, but if he loved her so much, he wouldn't have cared what they thought.

Six months dragged by and the skittish ways she had adopted never faded. She was always on edge. She eyed him and curled herself whenever she saw him take his belt off or pick up objects that could be used to punish her.

For the first time in years, Roman went to the flea market without her. She took the alone time to think. Although he had kept his distance since the beating he always hovered close. She snuck off to the pond and sat down on a rock. She let her feet dangle in the warm water. She could see a memory of the two of them play out in the middle of that pond. Those moments were so special and she missed them. So many times she wanted to crawl into bed with him and let him put his arms around her. She needed to feel a touch. She didn't sleep anymore. She barely ate. She found herself wishing to die.

"Well hello." She jumped to her feet and retreated at the sound of the man's deep voice. That voice echoed in her nightmares. Flair towered over her. His grey streaked blond waving like a mad man. He wore gold on his fingers and had fur draped around his shoulders even though it was blazing hot, but the scariest site was the monster standing behind him.

There was only one way in and out Roman's favorite hide away and it was hidden by thick tree branches and bushes. They must have followed her and she was alone. She backed up against the rock behind her and screamed. Flair kept coming. Her fangs and wildness did not affect him. Her breathing increased. She was cornered. Flair flicked his fingers to order his Ivex and she was helpless to escape the large hand that grasped and tossed her over his shoulder.

She was taken away. Dropped into the middle of a strange barn where she stared at a crowd of Ivex.

"I always knew that kid would cave." Flair smiled as he spoke to his hired men. They stood with whips in their hands. She coward, escaping to the nearest corner and watched as he patted his favorite on the back. "It's time she was reminded of what she is. She's all yours Diesel boy." And his cackling echoed in her ears as he exited.

Diesel eyed her but he didn't come after her. The others investigated, poking and sniffing. They reminded her of a pack of dogs. She couldn't believe where she had ended up. Roman had sold her! Her aloofness had finally come back to bite her. He didn't want her anymore. He hated her.

The sun set and she was shaking from the cold and fear. They wouldn't leave her alone and the look on some of the male's faces was terrifying. So similar to the desires she had seen in Roman's eyes, but different. So different. Yet, it was the large one that she feared the most.

The sunset and she was trapped. She wondered if she would ever get to see it again. She wondered what her life would be like now. Would she always sit in that dark barn? Would she always be poked and grabbed at? She felt so different from those beings. How could they be alike? How could she be one of them?

She eyed the big male. He had females all over him. Two of them kissed his neck and rubbed on his large chest, but his eyes stayed focused on Mya. Another female brought him a drink. It didn't look like water. She was sort of in awe over him. He was an Ivex, yet he was the one who reigned over the entire bunch. Other males were scared of him. The females gathered stayed close, some rested at his feet until he stood. He only had to shrug them off to make them stay and not follow. He crossed the room, towered over her. He bent down, snatched her hand, and pulled her to her feet and against him so fast she had no time to think. She began to sob and scream, but he growled back. His fangs did not retract as hers did and he sunk them into her neck, biting. She cried with the pain until she felt nothing but numbness. She had been poisoned, subdued. Her head lulled around and she felt intoxicated as she tripped along, dragged by his hand on her upper arm with no resistance from her.

Diesel had his own little hide away. A small shack on the property that no other Ivex dared enter. He nearly tossed her inside then closed the door. She laid there, unable to defend herself, unable to do more than move in jilted short movements. Her hands seemed to float by accompanied by a wave. She sort of liked the feeling. Her head felt light and her thoughts were gone. Her head no longer hurt. It had been throbbing for some time, almost constantly. She stared up at this beast with heavy eyes. He could do whatever he wanted at any moment and she didn't have the capacity to care.

He dropped down upon her and she didn't care. If she wasn't so numb what he was about to do would surely hurt, but she couldn't feel it. All her emotions had settled and for a moment she just wanted to feel something. Anything. Someone's gentle touch. She needed that more than she realized.

"We do what we have to do to get by." Diesel spoke. Gently brushing hair away from her face. "It's funny. I was convicted for doing this." He laughed as he caressed her more gently than she ever expected. "They thought this was a punishment but it actually is the best thing that could have happened. I'm satisfied. I can have any woman I want whenever I want. I want you." But he didn't go for what he wanted. "But, you are different."

* * *

Please Review.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: This story is fiction. All the characters are fictional with borrowed names to comply with the fan fiction genre. They should not be confused with any person living or dead. I am not now nor have I ever been affiliated with any professional wrestler or wrestling company. No disrespect intended.

* * *

Thank so much for the reviews and follows! :)

* * *

Chapter 9

Roman was frantic. He couldn't find Mya anywhere. He searched and he screamed her name. For some reason he even looked in cupboards. It was silly really. Even with her small stature she was too big to fit in them. He went to the pond. He checked all the green houses. Ran around like an idiot asking his young helpers if they had seen her. By nightfall, he still had no luck. No sign of her anywhere.

He went to bed staring where she always sat. He didn't eat. Not because he couldn't' manage without her, but because he had no appetite. He searched for her in town. He searched for her in the faces of the Ivex being sold at the flea market. He was sad but he did his best not to show that he was searching for something specifically. He had a feeling she had run away. He didn't blame her but he worried and prayed she was alright.

Mya was addicted to the feeling that enveloped her body after Diesel's bite. She longed for it. Ached for it. Felt fidgety without it and every night he obliged her, biting her neck until she sighed with relief.

"This is the last time." He told her one night. He had never touched her intimately, but she had seen him take many other females. She just laid or sat watching. Caring about nothing but the feeling of relief that took away all her emotional thoughts.

"She's damaged." Flair screamed as he pointed at her. "Her belly never grows. She must be sterile. Reigns probably had her inside ripped out so he could do what he wanted with her without repercussions? Sickening."

"Maybe it's Diesel. Maybe he's not interested." His foreman shrugged.

"Oh, that's insane. He's knocked up most my females. I get a good price for his offspring. I thought the two of them together would bring a big profit." He shook his head. "Get rid of her. There's no space here for females that don't produce."

She knew what that meant. She would be sold again. If not executed. She found herself begging Diesel for his venom so she wouldn't have to feel whatever was going to happen to her.

"no." he barked when no one was around. She never spoke to him or anyone. He didn't know she could talk. She would touch his arm. Stroke his back. Plead with huge eyes. He wouldn't speak to her until no humans were around. "It wasn't supposed to be an everyday thing Mya." He would tell her. "You needed to calm down. You have to be strong now." He liked to be alone at night. He would sit on a chair in his simple shack home and carve little figurines out of wood. "It's time."

She didn't know what he meant by that.

"I know you can read. You stare too long at things. You need to watch that around those people." He told her. "If you can talk, now would be a good time to start." He pulled a box out of his hiding spot. "You shouldn't be here and I'm going to fix that."

"How? I don't know any other life. It's different for you. You used to be one of them."

"See, I knew you had it in you." Diesel chuckled. "And you have had a better life. Probably a better life than most human's experience. That man loves you."

"Then why did he do this to me." She jerked down her dress, bared her back to show the many marks that had finally healed, but had left ugly marks behind.

"You think that didn't kill him?" Diesel said. "What do you suppose would have happened, Mya? Do you think he wouldn't have given up his life? Don't you think he would have gladly become an Ivex if it meant he would free to love you? He would have. I saw him with you many times. He's a tortured man. He really is."

"He chose to do this. That proves he loves his freedom, not me."

"It was cruelty that made him chose that. He knows that you would have been taken from him and kept from him just for the fun of it. Men are cruel. You really need to understand that he was trying to protect you."

"I can't."

"You better learn to. It's the only way you're going to survive your future."

"Flair is going to kill me because he thinks I'm barren. Why don't you just impregnate me and satisfy his wants."

"I told you I do what I have to do to survive. I know how to work Flair to keep my own life peaceful. But he's not going to profit from you. I won't let him."

"Good night Diesel." She spat and curled up in her corner. She had never spoken so many words to anyone and it left her throat aching.

"You!" Roman woke up to find the huge Ivex standing over him in the middle of the night. Flair had to be close. He had become weaker than he used to be. His house was a total wreck. He didn't care about anything anymore and Mya had only been gone a couple of months. He couldn't pick himself up to move on this time. "Tell your boss she's gone. So he can stop trying to bully me into selling her to him."

"He didn't send me."

Roman got out of bed and crossed the room. He had started drinking and found he enjoyed the drink more than he thought he would. He grabbed a gallon jug of whiskey and drank straight from the bottle.

"I could have your tongue cut out, you know that right?"

"But you won't."

Roman chuckled. "Don't be so sure. I'm not the man I used to be. I know you. You're that rapist they convicted last year. Don't look so surprised. I attend those auctions once in a while."

"I didn't rape anyone." Diesel growled and his red eyes began to glow.

"She wasn't your wife."

"And Mya wasn't yours. Oh, but she's an Ivex so those rules don't apply to you, right?" Diesel sat down at his table as if they still shared the same status. He kicked his large feet up on the table. "Flair won't bother you about her anymore."

"Oh yeah? Is that because you killed him?" Roman joked.

"Think about it, dumbass."

"He has her? So, that's what this is about? You come here to tell me how many times you've laid your filthy hands on her?" He nearly screamed. "You want to gloat about her carrying your child and how much Flair's going to make when he sells it!"

"No." Diesel remained calm and collected. "Roman, I can survive in my world. Actually, I've found a way to enjoy it, but Mya. Well, I don't have to tell you how special she is. She won't make it. I've kept her protected for you."

"I bet you have."

Diesel's animal side didn't reside deep within him. He had complete control over it and unleashed it at his own will. In an instant he had sped to where Roman stood grasped him high in the air and with sharp fangs he tore into his flesh.

He dropped Roman to the floor and he felt the burning as the beast's venom surged through his veins. He felt paralyzed and he couldn't speak. He could only open and close his mouth and stare.

"You wouldn't listen like a normal human being so maybe you will listen to me now." Diesel growled. "Flair recently became disappointed with the Ivex he wanted so badly. He's already ordered her disposal. Of course you and I both know that he can't sell a stolen Ivex so what do you think he means. I want to save this woman. I can't save myself. I stick out no matter where I go and the others are too stupid." He flung a piece of paper at Roman. "You only have one shot. Don't blow it."

It was the next morning before Roman was able to move his body. Diesel's visit had not been pleasant. He picked up the slip of paper. There was only an address on it. The address of the town's orphanage?

* * *

Please Review.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: This story is fiction. All the characters are fictional with borrowed names to comply with the fan fiction genre. They should not be confused with any person living or dead. I am not now nor have I ever been affiliated with any professional wrestler or wrestling company. No disrespect intended.

* * *

Thank so much for the reviews and follows! :)

* * *

Chapter 10

"Remember what I said." It was the last thing Diesel said to her before she was collected. Flair's foreman dragged her up a steep hill and like any other Ivex she began to resist the moment she realized where she was being taken. At the edge of a cliff her hands were tied with rope as well as her ankles. She closed her eyes and waited for the shove. It was delivered with great force, she let out a high pitched scream as she fell. The water below was littered with rocks and soon her blood would paint them.

Diesel's words played in her mind as her body sped toward her impending death. I'll catch you and then she felt her body jolt suddenly. A large arm plucked her out of the air and a hard body slung her into a shallow cave. Quickly, she watched him throw over a dead body.

"You killed her?" She gasped as she watched the Ivex with similar hair splatter on the rocks then slip into the water below. She floated face down in the waves.

"She died a few days ago. Poor thing was sick, but her death can free you. The foreman is a wuss. He can't watch his victims as they fall. We just have to wait until he gets the nerve to peak over and make sure you didn't miss the rocks."

"What does he do if they miss?"

"He has to wait a little longer. The current will drag em down eventually." It was so cruel and heartless and almost her own fate. She threw her arms around Diesel who had saved her. She didn't know how he accomplished the things he did. He risked so much sneaking off, but it was something he did regularly. "Don't get mushy." But he did give her a small embrace. "Come. He's waiting." Then he muttered. "If he's not a complete moron."

Roman waited on the back steps of the orphanage. It had begun to rain hard and the clouds had darkened the sky. He could barely see even though it was only noon. He didn't know what he was doing there. He had followed the words of an Ivex? Flair's Ivex. For all he knew he was walking into a trap. Flair probably wanted his land now.

"You don't have enough sense to get out of the rain?" the growl was familiar and her twirled around to find Diesel standing under the awning. Mya was by his side.

"Mya." He felt relief and happiness overwhelm him. He embraced her, squeezed as if she was going to be stolen away again.

"As of this moment, Mya is a woman with no known family. She arrived in town hoping for a better life." He handed Roman a birth certificate. "If I were you I would consider moving someplace far away from here. You have a chance for a new start, for the both of you."

Diesel had a job with the state before his conviction had changed his life forever. It didn't take much for Roman to figure out that he had snuck back into his old office building and entered Mya into the computers. It was as if she had always been human."

"You can do this." Diesel whispered to Mya. "And Roman – she's free now. Remember that. If she wants you – it's her choice."

Mya knew what had been done for her. She knew the risk Diesel had took for her. What she didn't understand was why?

"I understand." Roman nodded and was a little jealous when he took Mya into his arms. He lingered too long and he knew he too harbored love for her. He just couldn't understand why he would give her up. He pulled away and glanced at roman without removing his arm from around her shoulders. He offered him a hand and Roman shook it respectfully.

"I hope you do get it. You see Mya is my blood. Her mother is my mother. She is the baby. Mama's last before she was thrown off a cliff. There's a lot of years between us. I tried to keep up with my siblings as much as I could. Mother had twelve, but Mya and I are the only ones still alive. I know mother is probably disappointed that her only free child ended up following in her footsteps. I think maybe I can make it up to her by making sure Mya gets away. If you care about her like I think you do … I know you'll help me. Get her out of this town. I love you, Mya. Do whatever you have to do to make it."

Mya knew what Diesel meant. Because they shared blood and she noticed she could suddenly sense what he was thinking as long as her skin touched his. He meant for her to kill Roman if he tried to get in her way of freedom and anyone else who could potentially stand in her way.

"I love you." She gave him one last hug than headed off in the storm with Roman close.

Walking back into a home she thought she never would see again brought a feeling she could not explain. It was her home. She still thought of it as home.

Roman climbed up into the loft of his home and he began to bring down crates he had stored. He began to pack up his home immediately. Mya could only stare at him. He stopped when he saw her frozen.

He went to her.

"I'm so sorry, Mya." He had tears rolling down his cheeks. Tears of her own began to fall. "If you want to be rid of me I understand, but right now, I want to get as far away from this place as we can. I wish I never took you out of this house, then they wouldn't know your face and …"

"None of this would have happened and I would still be your property?"

"No." he shook his head. "Mya. I want you to be my wife." He went to the stand beside his bed, opened the drawer and came back cupping something in his hand. "I made this. I've wanted to give it to you so many times." He slid a pretty ring on her finger. It had a black stone with a silver diamond shape on top of it. And that had a tiny shining stone on top of that.

"It's real gold." He whispered. "I melted it down and curved the metal. I wish I wanted to fill the whole thing with a diamond, but I could only afford that little chip at the time. I had this black onyx stone for years so I made it all fit." He smiled. "I love you Mya. I made this for you even though it wasn't right. You're all I can think about."

"You hurt me." She said meekly.

"It hurt me too." Roman slipped her dress off and ran his fingers over the scars. They had healed but it had left her disfigured. There was some cream he could buy to take it away forever. It was very expensive. But it was worth it to take away the reminder of what he had done.

"You're lying." She didn't want to love him but she did.

"I could never lie to you." His hands caressed her body. "My parents want me to remarry. I have exactly one week left to do it on my own before the law makes me marry my parents' choice. Mya I know your secret."

"Sounds like blackmail."

"It is. I thought I could let you go, but I can't. I won't. If this is what I have to do to make you realize …"  
"I never wanted to be without you until just this moment."

* * *

Please Review.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: This story is fiction. All the characters are fictional with borrowed names to comply with the fan fiction genre. They should not be confused with any person living or dead. I am not now nor have I ever been affiliated with any professional wrestler or wrestling company. No disrespect intended.

* * *

Thank so much for the reviews and follows! :)

* * *

Chapter 11

"For years, I wished you would talk, but I never imagined you would say that." Roman turned away and continued packing. "I was offered a good price for this land. I decided to take it."

"You were planning on leaving anyway?"

"I was." He appeared ashamed. "It's just hard to live here now. All I can see is that night and the choice I made. I have never pretended that what happened didn't change everything. It was perfect before that."

"I didn't mean to bring you so much trouble master." She hung her head.  
"Don't call me that. Please." In little over an hour he had packed almost everything. Roman had always been simple, owning little more than the necessities. "Better get some sleep. It's a long ride. We'll be spending a lot of nights in the truck."

"You said you got a good price for your land." She questioned.

He chuckled but it was an irritated laugh. "Freedom's changing you already. I'm not wasting money on hotel rooms that could be spent on the new land. You'll just have to rough it princess."

Roman immediately hated himself for what he had said. He hadn't meant it. He was hurt that she didn't want him now that she had a choice.

Mya couldn't sleep that night. She wondered if Roman would tear up Diesel's papers. What if he still wanted to possess her? What if he couldn't let go of his ownership. He was her rightful owner and he had all the documents to prove that. She doubted she would ever get over being someone's slave. Could she successfully live among the humans? Could she pull it off when being someone's property had bene all she had ever known.

She thought about the day. She found out she had a brother. She found out her mother had died and she was set free. It was a lot to take in. Then she had to add the revelations about the man she never had stopped loving. Apparently he couldn't sleep either for he approached her in the middle of the night. She was used to doing as he wanted and she couldn't make herself voice her rights. He straddled her as she laid on the floor. He caressed her body and kissed her. She still felt the desire he provoked. And yet, she still flinched with every movement.

Roman retreated, but not without taking her hand and leading her to the bed. He couldn't sleep unless she was beside him. One side of his bed was positioned against the wall and that's where he wanted her to be. He stayed on the edge. No one would take her again without going through him first.

Despite her fears, Mya slept soundly beside him. She blamed it on the soft mattress and plush pillows. The warmth of Roman's body. Being human was nice. She thought about the bites her brother had given her. She craved that venom when she awoke. She felt different though and she wasn't sure what had changed, but she knew it had happened internally.

"Ready?"

Roman had made her stay well hidden inside while he exchanged the deed to his land for the money with a young stranger and his father outside. Then, he came for her and he loaded the last box in the back of his truck. He stood with his arm about her shoulders and they took one last look around. He was leaving behind all his furniture including the stove and refrigerator. She could tell he was sad. He had worked so hard there and now he had to start all over again.

"That's it." He let out a deep breath and escorted her to his truck. He opened the door for her like a true gentleman but he had always done that. She was nervous driving through town sitting beside him. They had left early and no one else seemed to be stirring. Still, she sunk low in the seat. She didn't want to bring Roman anymore trouble and mostly she didn't want to take a chance of Flair or one of his men seeing that she had escaped death. If she was with anyone but Roman they wouldn't entertain the idea. The foreman had seen her fall to her death. Right?

Soon, they were traveling the open country. Long dirt roads, each one appearing just like the one before and her eyes were wide, soaking in as much as she could as they passed. She had never seen any other part of the island.

"We'll cross the bridge tomorrow." Roman told her in front of a fire that night. He had pulled off to the side of the road and had lit a fire to keep them warm and he cooked on that open fire. Surprising to her, he didn't ask her to cook. He didn't ask her to gather wood or to fetch him anything.

"I'm excited about seeing that." She spoke to him for the first time since the night before.

"I'll stop then. We'll take some pictures." Her curiosity seemed to bring a smile to his face. "Here." He pulled a handbag out of his duffel bag. It was black leather with silver studs. It was a beautiful bag. She had seen it before. Stuffed in the back corner of an armoire. "It was Courtlin's." he shrugged. "I bought it for her, but she never used it. She thought it was a waste of money." He laughed. "The first and the last time I tried with that woman." Roman had always been honest about his relationship with his deceased wife. "Anyway. Most women carry one. There's a matching wallet – Your certificate is inside."

"Thank you." His wife may not have liked the bag, but to her, it was a treasure. The first important item she would own as a human woman. That one item made her feel like a human. It was silly really. It was just a possession, but she had never owned anything before. Even the clothes she had worn she had considered his, not hers. She always knew they could be taken away and replaced with the ugly dress made from burlap like other Ivex wore.

"You're very beautiful, Mya. You shouldn't have any trouble finding a suitable husband."

"Human males don't usually want to marry someone without family." She reminded him.

"Someone will." He insisted. "Trust me."

"You're just trying to give me hope. But it doesn't matter. I'm okay with being an unmarried woman. Just being human and free is enough."

"Mya." He touched her hand. "You're going to have everything you should have always had. I'm not just saying it."

"I don't want to be married and I'm glad I don't have parents that would arrange it for me."

"Why?"

"Because I have scars that I don't want to explain. I don't want to lie to someone I love."

Roman knew he was responsible even though she had had many scars before he had lashed her. Still, he knew that his had hurt the most. Maybe the scars were part of her hesitation, but he had a feeling that his actions made her nervous as well. She had trusted him, perhaps loved him and he had turned on her when he should have taken her hand and ran. He should have become a fugitive for her. The more he thought about what he should have done that night, the more he doubted his own feelings. He couldn't love her that much. If he had, no one, no threat could have made him hurt her. He had to let her go. She deserved better. She always had deserved better.

"This is done." He made them both a plate of gravy and toast that he had made. "I'm going to eat and try to sleep. Ground doesn't look too hard." He laughed. "I just wish we had thicker blankets. Nights out here can get pretty cold even in summer."

We. Everything Roman owned he had always called theirs. Not his.

* * *

Please Review.


End file.
